Illuminating the UK’s lethal detention and deportation conditions

Medical
Justice, a charity
that arranges for independent doctors to visit immigration detainees,
convened a meeting last week to examine Parliament’s ability to monitor
and hold to account the UK Border Agency and its contractors.

The first
Children’s Commissioner for England and the medical colleges representing GPs,
paediatricians, psychiatrists and public health professionals, have repeatedly
warned the UKBA that the conditions for those held in immigration detention
centres are severely damaging and may be life-threatening. Medical Justice, End Child Detention Now and many other public
interest groups and faith groups have sought to raise awareness. But little
acknowledgement - and still less action - has been forthcoming. The meeting sought to debate and agree on ways to redress this inaction. The
ultimate aim was to gather support to call for a robust inquiry into the
inhuman, degrading and potentially lethal conditions of detention and
deportation. It was chaired by Labour MP for Islington North, Jeremy Corbyn,
who sponsored a draft Early Day Motion, circulated to attendees. A similar
draft NGO declaration from the meeting was also tabled.

Attendees heard
an emotional appeal for justice from Adrienne Makenda Kambana, widow of Jimmy
Mubenga, as she cited the obstruction of inquiries by the UKBA and private
contractors G4S. Deborah Coles, of INQUEST, who has assisted the Mubenga
family, noted that the culture of secrecy within the UKBA is a huge concern and
has inhibited the family’s pursuit of information and justice. Police
investigations are usually held in isolation from each other and there are
often no relatives available in the UK to carry them forward. The main
challenge is to ensure that these problems are properly debated in parliament.

Other
speakers included Harmit Athwal, editor of the Institute of Race Relations News
Service and Dr Ben Robinson, Medical Justice Trustee. Athwal noted the rarity
of legal representation for deceased detainees, yet the Home Office, medical
staff, and private companies to whom detention work is outsourced are always
represented. Dr Robinson highlighted the appalling standard of healthcare for detainees
and a culture of disbelief regarding requests for medical treatment. He
recounted an incident in which Muhammad
Shuket, a detainee at the Border Agency’s Colnbrook holding
facility, suffered a heart attack. He was left virtually unattended for over an
hour, despite repeated requests for help from his cellmate, until the scheduled
doctor’s rounds the following day which came too late.

Two recentHigh Court Rulings were highlighted by
Mark Scott, ofBhatt Murphy
Solicitors. Both found detainees with severe mental health issues were unlawfully
imprisoned – despite repeated warnings from medical practitioners — and Home
Office actions were deemed to have breached the exceptionally high threshold of
Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights, prohibiting inhuman and degrading treatment. In one case the
UKBA, although unwilling to responsibly manage the detainee’s health, was shown
to have nonetheless considered plans in the event of his death. Assistant director, detention
services, Philip Schoenenburger noted “there will be significant press interest
if he does subsequently pass away. We have made sure that healthcare are
keeping good and accurate details of his care and this record will be available
to the PPO should he die.”

Jeremy Corbyn invited contributions from delegates. Emma
Norton of Liberty said they were preparing a leaflet on how detainees can use
the Data Protection Act to access their personal record, while plans for a
major inquiry into the UK asylum system were announced by Julian Huppert, Lib
Dem MP for Cambridge. This is due to be launched within the next few weeks.

Malcolm Stevens, former advisor to the Children’s
Commissioner for England, suggested the West Sussex local authority
Safeguarding Children Board should be put on the alert, since its jurisdiction
covers the new ‘pre-departure accommodation’. A highly critical report from the
equivalent body in Bedfordshire, forced the closure of the Yarl’s Wood family
unit.

Medical Justice's Emma Ginn concluded the meeting, drawing attention to the
circulated draft text for a declaration from the meeting and for an EDM to be
sponsored by Jeremy Corbyn. She requested comments and feedback from
organisations, particularly in regard to their willingness to co-sign the
declaration.

The Parliamentary Meeting on ‘Lethal Detention and Deportation
Conditions’ was held on 28th November 2011

About the author

Tom Sanderson is a freelance researcher, and volunteer campaigner with End Child Detention Now. He currently works at the Centre for Investigative Journalism.

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